COLUMBUS, Ohio: The first step in Larry Householder’s plan to become Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives in January 2019 was to recruit a list of candidates whose support he would need to get his old job back.
Ultimately, most Householder-supported candidates, funded by FirstEnergy, won their seat races in the November 2018 election.
A federal charges document released Tuesday, accusing Householder, an aide and three lobbyists of extortion, called him to build Team Householder.
This, according to the federal complaint, was the first step in what became an elaborate scheme that culminated in “corrupt treatment.” By funding his campaign, FirstEnergy helped Householder become a speaker and, in return, delivered a $ 1 billion bailout for two financially troubled nuclear plants.
“Finally, the company’s ‘Game Plan 2018’ worked. By coordinating and financially supporting Team Householder candidates using Company A [FirstEnergy] money, the company helped choose a group of representatives loyal to the head of the family, “the complaint read.
Here are the current Republican state legislators. Householder helped take office during the 2018 elections. Everyone voted for him as a speaker. Neither has been implicated in the federal charges released this week.
State Representative Brian Baldridge
Brian Baldridge
Baldridge, from Adams County in southern Ohio, is a former township trustee and fire chief. He won a Republican four-way primary in March 2018 and was easily elected the following November.
He received $ 11,000 from the FirstEnergy PAC before elementary, and another $ 2,000 before the general. The head of the family gave him $ 25,415.
Voted for House 6.
Ohio State Representative Jamie Callender
Jamie Callender
Callender, a Lake County attorney, served as state representative between 1997 and 2004. He ran for the Ohio House again in 2018, winning a primary against a candidate endorsed by Ryan Smith, who was competing with Householder to be a speaker.
He received $ 13,700 from the FirstEnergy PAC during the 2018 election. The head of the family gave him $ 7,707. The Growth and Opportunities PAC aligned with household members spent at least $ 45,000 on ads to back it up, according to Medium Shopping, a Columbus ad tracking policy firm.
After winning the general election, Callender introduced House Bill 6, serving as a co-sponsor and chairing the committee that held preliminary public hearings on the legislation before it was voted into the House.
Ohio State Representative Jon Cross
Jon Cross
Cross, from Kenton in northwest Ohio, was a local economic development official when he applied for the Statehouse in 2018.
He beat a Smith-backed candidate in the primaries and easily won the general election in November.
He received $ 12,700 from the FirstEnergy PAC before elementary and $ 200 before general. The head of the family gave him $ 25,415. The Growth and Opportunities PAC supported it with $ 3,800 in ads.
Voted for House 6.
Ohio State Representative Brett Hillyer
Brett Hillyer
Hilyer, from Tuscarawas County, was a city attorney and legal director of his hometown of Uhrichsville when he was elected to the Ohio House in 2018.
He defeated a Smith-backed candidate in the primaries, and then won the general election.
The FirstEnergy PAC gave their campaign $ 12,707 before the primary election. The head of the family gave him $ 17,707. The Growth and Opportunities PAC supported it with $ 41,860 in ads.
Voted yes on House Bill 6.
Ohio State Representative Don JonesOhio House of Representatives
Don jones
Jones, from Harrison County in eastern Ohio, was a lifelong teacher when he was elected to the House in 2018.
He ran without opposition in the Republican primaries and easily won the November elections.
He didn’t receive any money from FirstEnergy, but Householder gave him $ 20,415 in campaign contributions during that year’s election.
He voted yes for House 6.
Ohio State Representative Jenna Powell
Jena Powell
Powell, from Darke County, Western Ohio, owned a marketing business when she was chosen for the Statehouse in 2018.
She defeated a Smith-backed candidate in the primaries and easily won in November.
She received $ 12,707 from FirstEnergy PAC in elementary school. The head of the family gave him $ 20,415.
She voted against House Bill 6, the only one of the first-year candidates recruited by Householder to do so.
Ohio State Representative Tracy Richardson
Tracy Richardson
Richardson, of Marysville, near Columbus, is an Army reservist and human resources professional who was elected to the House in 2018.
The FirstEnergy PAC gave him $ 10,000, while Householder gave him $ 8,344 during the 2018 election.
She voted yes on House Bill 6.
Ohio State Representative Bill Roemer
Bill roemer
Roemer is a retired sales executive and a former member of the Summit County Council who was elected to the House in 2018. Ohio workers, a PAC linked to Householder, spent $ 191,000 on ads backing him up, according to Medium Buy.
The FirstEnergy PAC gave him $ 1,000 during the 2018 election. The head of the family gave him $ 10,221.
Voted yes on House Bill 6.
Ohio State Representative J. Todd Smith
J. Todd Smith
Smith, a pastor, was elected to the Ohio House in 2018.
While he was not Householder’s preferred candidate that year, Householder still gave him $ 10,000. Ohio workers paid for an attack announcement against Smith’s opponent that allowed him to win the race by a narrow margin of 137 votes. Medium Buy says the group spent $ 246,500 to support Smith.
Although Smith’s loyalty to Householder is questionable, the FBI complaint highlights this race as an example of the impact Team Householder support could have.
Voted yes on House Bill 6.
Ohio State Representative Shane Wilkin
Shane Wilkin
Wilkin, from Highland County in southwest Ohio, is a former county commissioner. The head of the family backed him for a pro-Smith candidate in last year’s primaries. (CQ)
FirstEnergy donated $ 13,000 to their campaign. The head of the family gave him $ 10,207.
Along with Callender, Wilkin co-sponsored House Bill 6.
